Is an increase in subjects for secondary schools really a good thing? Yes in practise but not when these subjects are used to bump the school's 5 A*-C pass rate. If you look carefully at the league tables you'll see that the small print says, next to the surprisingly high percentage 'not including English and maths. As dry as these subjects may seem to some at school that fact is it's hard to get through life without either, obviously you're taught them in primary school but not to the level where either become a skill you can apply in your working life. I'm not condemning practical subjects such as textiles, or design technology, these open doors to many careers, some vocational some not. It's subjects like media studies; yes, it captures the interest of young people because on the surface it's more relevant in the pupil's daily lives. But what do you actually learn from Media studies? Well there is opportunity to nurture your creativity but I think it could have the same effect but within the English GCSE itself. That way those with a penchant for all things media related still get a taste but within a more traditional framework and they can pursue it at college if they choose to.
If Media studies gets kids thinking and engages them, then within the English GCSE one would assume the following happens; kids are engaged, interested, they work harder, school gets better results and everyone is happy. In a perfect world...
I do recognise that the problem with traditional subjects is that for many pupils their enjoyment of the subject is dependent on the standard of teaching, and that for a lot of kids subjects that require more practical work lessen the deficits that poor teaching inflicts.
Maybe i'll just be British about this issue, and sit on the fence.
